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by Giacomo Puccini

In Italian with projected English texts.

New-to-Chicago production. Owned by the San Francisco Opera Association.

Running time: 2h 21m

Whether it's your first opera or you've seen it a hundred times before, Puccini's magic never fails to cast its entrancing spell.

Golden melodies transport you to Paris's Latin Quarter, where young artists struggle to make ends meet in icy cold garrets. But passions run hot because everyone's in love.

Yearning, ecstasy, and despair—you hear it all in the music! The score so exquisitely conveys the essence of every character that you'll feel like you know each of them personally. You'll laugh as the saucy femme fatale Musetta drives her painter beau mad with jealousy. You'll cheer when the fragile seamstress Mimì and her ardent poet Rodolfo find true bliss in each other's arms. And you'll cry when tragedy strikes and he loses her in the end.

As Marcello works on a painting, Rodolfo
gazes through the window at the smoking
chimneys of Paris. It is Christmas Eve, and the
two are freezing. Marcello is about to sacrifice
a chair to stoke the stove when Rodolfo
declares that the manuscript of his play will
warm them. As the manuscript burns, the
young men enjoy the heat. The philosopher
Colline returns, followed shortly thereafter
by the musician Schaunard, who arrives with
food, firewood, and money. For Christmas
the friends decide to dine out. A knock at the
door brings Benoit, the landlord, who wants
the rent. He is plied with drink and persuaded
to talk about his amours. Feigning indignation
at these confessions from a married man, the
four friends throw Benoit out. Rodolfo’s
roommates depart, leaving him to finish an
article. He promises to join them soon.
Rodolfo has
just realized he is not in a
writing mood when another knock at the
door reveals a lovely young woman, asking if
Rodolfo can light her candle. He invites her
in but she suddenly faints, exhausted. Rodolfo
revives her and offers wine. Once the candle is
lit, she leaves, only to return moments later –
she has dropped her key. A draft extinguishes
her candle, and the search is conducted
in darkness. Rodolfo finds and pockets the
key without informing his companion. As
both continue searching, their hands touch.
Rodolfo suggests they stop looking until the
moon provides better light (Aria: Che gelida
manina). He tells her he is a penniless poet
whose dreams make him a millionaire. His
guest is Mimì (Aria: Mi chiamano Mimì), who
works as a seamstress. She looks forward each
year to spring’s flowers and sunlight. Rodolfo’s
friends’ voices rise from the
street, urging him to hurry. He shouts down
that he will meet them at the Café Momus.
He gazes ecstatically at Mimì in the moonlight
(Duet: O soave fanciulla) and kisses her, but
she pulls away, reminding him that his friends
are waiting. When Rodolfo hesitates to leave
her, she suggests they go together. The pair
leave arm in arm.

ACT TWO

A holiday crowd attends to last-minute
Christmas shopping. When the bohemians
meet at the café, Rodolfo introduces his
friends to Mimì and she shows them a bonnet
he has bought for her. The group orders some
supper.
Musetta and her aged “protector,”
Alcindoro, arrive at the café. Marcello avoids
looking at Musetta, a former flame with
whom he had quarreled. She tries to attract
his attention by behaving outrageously,
and then by explaining to everyone what a
charmer she really is (Waltz: Quando m’en
vo). Determined to rid herself of Alcindoro,
Musetta pretends to have a painful shoe, and
sends the old man off to buy another pair. Her
reconciliation with Marcello is interrupted
by the arrival of the bohemians’ bill. They
search their pockets hopelessly until Musetta
combines their bill with hers, informing the
waiters that Alcindoro will pay both. Now
minus one shoe, Musetta and her friends join
the crowd following a military procession out
of the square. Returning with the new shoes,
poor Alcindoro is faced with the bill.

ACT THREE

On a snowy February morning, the city’s early
risers begin their daily routine, while a tavern’s
revelers continue the night’s festivities. When
Mimì appears, she asks a servant from the
tavern to send the painter Marcello out to her. Mimì appeals to Marcello for help (Duet:
O buon Marcello, aiuto!). She refuses to come
inside, since Rodolfo is there. He has left
her, after jealous accusations that she knows
he did not mean. Through the window
Marcello sees Rodolfo looking for him. When
Rodolfo emerges, Mimì – hidden from view –
observes him with anguish as he argues with
Marcello. He attempts to justify his cruelty
on the grounds that Mimì is a coquette (Aria:
Mimì è una civetta), but Marcello questions
his sincerity. The truth comes out: Rodolfo
still loves Mimì, but his own poverty makes
his inability to care for her unendurable.
Mimì’s coughing and sobs reveal her presence
and Rodolfo rushes to her, while Musetta’s
laughter sends Marcello storming into the
tavern.Mimì says goodbye, telling Rodolfo they
should part without bitterness (Aria: Donde
lieta uscì). A porter will come for her few
possessions, but if Rodolfo wishes, he may
keep her bonnet to remember their love. The
two plan to remain together until spring.
Meanwhile, Marcello and Musetta exchange
insults (Quartet: Addio, dolce svegliare).

ACT FOUR

Marcello and Rodolfo try to work. Each
has seen the other’s beloved, sumptuously
dressed and clearly flourishing. Both men
halfheartedly express pleasure at this news,
but their misery is obvious (Duet: O Mimì, tu
più non torni). Schaunard and Colline arrive
with a meager meal. The four make the best of
things with a mock ball and a simulated duel.
Their clowning is cut short when Musetta
bursts in; she has brought Mimì, who is
terribly ill. Once the bohemians have made
her comfortable, they learn from Musetta
that, having left her lover, Mimì has returned
to Rodolfo in order to die near him.
Musetta asks Marcello to pawn her
earrings and find a doctor. Colline bids
farewell to his overcoat, also destined for the
pawn shop (Aria: Vecchia zimarra). Everyone
finds discreet reasons to leave, allowing Mimì
and Rodolfo a few moments alone (Duet:
Sono andati?). Musetta returns with a muff for
Mimì’s hands, and Marcello announces that
a doctor is on the way. Musetta is preparing
medicine and murmuring a prayer as Mimì
falls asleep. Rodolfo suddenly senses that a
change has come over his friends, who already
know what he only now realizes: Mimì has
died.

BEAUTIFUL BOHEMIANS

Ana María Martínez and Anna Netrebko light up the stage at Lyric

By Magda Krance

We might as well admit it – there’s something about La Bohème that just gets us.

No matter how often we’ve seen and heard Puccini’s heartfelt tale of hopeful youth entangled in love and loss in 19th century Paris, we always sigh happily (and wistfully) at the luscious, lilting score and the charming, impetuous young lovers. We so want things to work out for them all, and for awhile it seems they just might.

At the center of the story is, of course, Mimì, the sweet seamstress who enchants the poet Rodolfo when they meet over an extinguished candle – a poignant metaphor for her eventual fate. But at least for the short term, Mimì and Rodolfo light each others’ lives, and warm all hearts in the process.

Puerto Rican soprano Ana María Martínez (Jan.–Feb. dates) has previously thrilled Lyric audiences as Marguerite/Faustand Nedda/Pagliacci (debut), and has earned acclaim in more than 10 productions of La Bohème since her 1996 role debut at The Minnesota Opera. At Santa Fe Opera in 2011, Opera magazine reported that “the great performance of the festival was the poignant, sterling Mimì of Ana María Martínez: every phrase glowing and beautifully sculpted with admirable stylistic mastery.”

Martínez will reprise her Mimì in Munich (as well as her Rusalka) this fall before arriving at Rodolfo’s door in Chicago in January. Most recently Martínez has starred as Antonia/Les contes d’Hoffmann at the Opéra National de Paris, Alice Ford/Falstaff at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and Amelia/Simon Boccanegra with Los Angeles Opera.

Describing her journey with this beloved character, Martínez notes that at the beginning, “Mimì’s trying to muster every ounce of courage she has to knock on that door. I feel the butterflies that she probably feels at the thought that the guy she so wants to meet will disregard her completely – with the added pressure that it’s Christmas Eve, when no one wants to be alone. She’s an old 20 – which comes from loneliness, illness, and a life of struggle and work.”

Martínez has always loved La Bohème “and it always made me sob, even as a child. I just felt tremendous grief and loss from the first time we see Mimì. And yet, her first knock on Rodolfo’s door is the beginning of her life. Mimì is so full of love – for springtime, for the first rays of sunshine, the first flower, for life itself. She is love. There’s no such thing as a poker face with Mimì; she’s completely vulnerable all the time, and your voice must serve and portray that vulnerability. Puccini gives you ample opportunity to shade and nuance her words, and I always aim for a bel canto approach to try to bring that to the forefront.”

As fragile as Mimì’s health is, “there’s a stillness about her that comes from her tremendous inner strength,” Martínez says. “She never feels sorry for herself; her heroic quality is her core. Everything she does comes from that very strong center that I don’t even think she’s aware she has. She stands out from the other characters because she’s so quiet. She’s a very honest woman, she’s genuine – there’s no pretense. She’s simple, clean, refreshing – and soothing. She’s a balm to my soul when I step into her shoes. I think everyone feels that, even in the audience when they hear her music. It’s a tremendous experience. She is very shy around others, but she has an active inner life – an imagination that’s expansive. Rodolfo is the poet, but when she expresses her feelings it’s a thousand times more poetic than anything Rodolfo comes up with!”

Martinez looks forward to her first “onstage date” with her leading man, Dimitri Pittas (Lyric debut), and also with Elizabeth Futral, who portrays the flirty Musetta. “I’ve adored her singing since she won the Met Auditions when I was at Juilliard – I remember hearing her and falling in love with her voice,” Martínez recalls. “Mimì adores Musetta instantly when they meet because she would love to be that free. There’s a beautiful harmony between the women personally; there are certain moments where that chemistry can be maximized, and it’s not only musical.” Of her other onstage colleagues, she exclaims, “I know them all and I adore them! I love Andrea! and Dale! and Lucas! It’ll be a month of joy. What a gorgeous group!” That would be Andrea Silvestrelli/Colline, Dale Travis/Benoit and Alcindoro, and Lucas Meachem/Marcello, all of whom, like Futral, will sing all performances of La Bohème at Lyric. Emmanuel Villaume will conduct and Louisa Muller (Lyric directorial debut) will stage the San Francisco Opera Association production with set designs by Michael Yeargan, costumes by the late Walter Mahoney (Lyric debut), and lighting by Duane Schuler.

It’s a challenge to sing Mimì without damaging the voice, Martínez notes. “You have to find ways to show you’re coughing without actually coughing, through body language.” La Bohème rekindles memories of her own student days at Juilliard: “We improvised parties, and those who wanted to be the center of attention would act out incredible displays. There were people singing, playing instruments, cooking, staying up till all hours, talking and philosophizing. If you’ve had a free-spirited experience in your student years, you can truly relate to these wonderful bohemians.”

Russian soprano Anna Netrebko (Mar. dates) has long topped the wish lists of many Lyric subscribers, and for good reason. As the San Francisco Chronicle has declared, “Here is a singer who simply has it all: a voice of astounding purity, precision, and scope, extensive dynamic and tonal range, imagination, insight, and wit – all combined with a dazzling charisma that makes it all but impossible to look away when she is performing.” Happily, Netrebko’s company debut is imminent.

She has triumphed repeatedly at the Metropolitan Opera since her 2002 debut (Natasha/Prokofiev’s War and Peace), most recently in the title roles of Manon, Anna Bolena, and Lucia di Lamermoor, and also as Mimì, one of her signature roles. Netrebko’s schedule for 2012-13 includes La Bohème at the Salzburg Festival and La Scala; in 2008 she starred in a beautiful feature film Bohème with Rolando Villazon/Rodolfo and Lyric’s own Nicole Cabell/Musetta.

Netrebko’s summer commitments precluded an extensive interview. She did, however, share her recollection of her introduction to Puccini’s beloved opera. “The first time I saw La Bohème was in the movie version with Mirella Freni. I didn’t immediately identify with Mimì. At first, I wanted to play Musetta. I was a twentysomething, so naturally I wanted to pull up my skirt and show off my legs! [Netrebko did portray the coquette Musetta at San Francisco Opera in 2000.] Also, at the time I wouldn’t have had the depth of character to take on Mimì, which is a more challenging role to portray dramatically. For a long time I didn’t think that I wanted to play Mimì, but then it came suddenly about six or seven years ago, and I learned it in a couple of months for a performance at the Mariinsky [in St. Petersburg].”

At Lyric, Netrebko’s Rodolfo will be Joseph Calleja, who was previously acclaimed here as Alfredo/La traviata. Asked what makes the opera special to her, Netrebko was as shy as Mimì: “What makes this opera special to me is the amazing combination of truth and fakeness.” She demurred when asked to elaborate. And when asked how she sees and portrays Mimì, she replied coyly: “You will see when I’m onstage.”

Indeed we shall. We might as well admit it – we’ll be smiling and dabbing our eyes collectively (and often simultaneously) when La Bohème returns to Lyric in this new-to-Chicago production. We are tremendously lucky to have these two luminous, passionate, beautiful sopranos bringing their incandescent Mimìs to life at Lyric this winter.

Last Acts: The Operas of Puccini and his Contemporariesby James Keolker, Opera Companion Publications,2000.

The Letters of Giacomo Puccini: Mainly Connected with the Composition and Production of His Operas, edited by Giuseppe Adami and translated by Ena Makin, Kessinger Publishing, 2007.
Behind-the-scenes correspondence offers insight into the creation of Puccini's works.

Monsieur Butterfly: The Life of Giacomo Puccini by Stanley Jackson, Stein and Day, 1974.

The Operas of Puccini by William Ashbrook, Cornell University Press, 1985.
Detailed examinations of individual operas highlight both dramaturgy and biography.

Puccini: A Biography by Mary Jane Phillips-Matz, Northeastern University Press, 2002.
As with her celebrated text on Verdi, Phillips-Matz gives an extraordinary degree of informed detail.

Puccini: His International Art by Michele Girardi, translated by Laura Basini, University of Chicago Press, 2000.
Encyclopedic study traces the composer's career and oeuvre.

Puccini: His Life and Works by Julian Budden, Oxford University Press, 2005.
One of opera's foremost scholars provides an invaluable study of Puccini and his world.

Puccini the Thinker: The Composer's Intellectual and Dramatic Development by John Louis DiGaetani, Peter Lang Publishing, 2001.
Puccini's treatment of social, economic, religious, and literary issues is explored.

Puccini Without Excuses: A Refreshing Reassessment of the World's Most Popular Composer by William Berger, Vintage Books, 2005.

Verdi and Puccini Heroines: Dramatic Characterization in Great Soprano Roles by Geoffrey Edwards and Ryan Edwards, Scarecrow Press, 2003.
New perspectives on these compelling female characters come from a discussion of text, music, and staging.

La Bohème Audio Preview

La Bohème Discovery Series

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Some people say La Bohème is a comedy with a sad ending; for others, it's a heavenly romance. Regardless of how it's viewed, it's the most popular opera of all time! Ana María Martínez (Mimì), Dimitri Pittas (Rodolfo), and conductor Emmanuel Villaume talk about this melody-filled Puccini jewel.